Surprise, joy envelop Season 12 'Idol' finalists

May 10, 2013
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Angie Miller performs on 'American Idol.' / Ray Mickshaw, Fox

by Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

by Bill Keveney, USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES -- Moments after being named American Idol's Top 2 for Season 12, the news was still sinking in for Kree Harrison and Candice Glover.

Harrison's first thought when host Ryan Seacrest said she made the finals? "That Ryan misread it," the 22-year-old country performer from Woodville, Texas, joked backstage in her first interview after Thursday's results were announced. "I was so happy and shocked at the same time. I feel like we all deserve to win this. But it's just America's vote. Wow, I'm just humbled and feel amazing all at the same time."

For Glover, a 23-year-old R&B singer from St. Helena Island, S.C., the fact she will get to sing next week for the Season 12 title (Fox, Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET/PT) carries extra meaning because of her earlier efforts to advance in the show.

"When I heard my name, I said, 'Oh my gosh, American Idol finale.' Everything that I've been through on this show suddenly started to play back in my mind, like being here in Season 9, Season 11 and then now in the Top 2 in Season 12. That is absolutely amazing. Oh my gosh, I can't tell you how excited I am."

The two singers -- one of whom will be the first female winner since Jordin Sparks in Season 6 -- praised Angie Miller, 19, of Beverly, Mass., who was eliminated on Thursday's show.

"The focus for me was getting to Angie and showing her love and telling her how much I love her," Glover said. "I can't imagine anybody else I would want to be in the top three with. She brought the energy, she brought the spontaneous fun, like random dancing. I'm really going to miss her, but at the same time I know I'm going to see her again, because the finale is next week."

Harrison, who was left to await word of her fate with Miller after Glover was announced as a finalist, said she "was practicing my farewell song. As I was standing there with Angie, I told her, 'Good luck. I'll see you on the other side,' and then they called my name. I couldn't believe it. I'm a confident artist, but Angie is amazing. I'm a fan of Angie. ... I'm so proud of her for so many reasons."

Both also expressed surprise at the impending departure of original Idol judge Randy Jackson, who said Thursday that he will leave the show after this season. The move was not mentioned during the show, although Seacrest alluded to it while joking with Jackson.

"Randy Jackson is so respected for so many different reasons," Harrison says. "He comes after the show, each time to us, and hugs us and tells us how he feels, whether it's constructive criticism or, 'Just keep doing what you're doing.' We love Randy. I hope to see him down the road if this is the end of his journey."

Glover feels a bond with Jackson.

"I love Randy. Randy's been here all three times that I was here, so he's seen me grow as a person and as an artist and as a musician. I definitely look forward to his opinion. I'm glad that he could have been here this year," she said. "It will definitely never be the same without Randy. You're not going to hear 'In it to win it' anymore, you're not going to hear, 'Dawg,' you're not going to hear, 'Yo, man.' "

Glover and Harrison said they were energized by their trips back home last weekend, an annual Idol event for the final three singers.

"People would always tell me, 'Oh, this and this is going on for you at home,' " Glover says. "I would go, 'OK, that's nice,' but I would be like, 'Oh my gosh, I don't know.' I honestly didn't even know that that many people lived in my hometown. So, when I got home and I saw the support firsthand that I'd been hearing about over the phone, I lost it. It was just more than I ever could have imagined."

Harrison says the trip "rejuvenated me and drained me all at the same time. We're all exhausted physically, but emotionally, I felt like I needed that boost, a little fire under my butt. I went back with the mentality of like, 'Oh my God. This is so crazy.' It can be so overwhelming at times," she says. "And then to see all these people that are giving you so much love because of what you're giving them. That made it all the better."

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